The VDCA is proud to be administering the game of cricket on Southern Vancouver Island, more than a century and a half after it first took root in what was then a very remote section of Britain's overseas territory. Nineteenth-century sailors, pioneers and settlers imparted a distinct English flavour, cricket included, to the local society.

What immense changes have transformed the wilderness of Victoria and District into a thriving multi-cultural community! The English influence is greatly diminished of course but still lives on, not least in the playing of cricket. Yorkshire and Southern County accents are now outnumbered by those from the Punjab, the Caribbean and from Down Under, but the game remains essentially the same.

Another constant is that Beacon Hill Park remains the headquarters of local cricket. The ground and the Fred Maurice Pavilion are visual treasures, enriching not only the cricket-playing community but the entire city. We may smile at uninformed commentary from passing tourist guides, but visitors from around the world take home with them memories of a unique sport played in an idyllic setting. Good publicity indeed!

The VDCA has a well-deserved reputation for being consummate hosts for visiting teams. In 1932 with Don Bradman and 1975 with Ian Chappell, Australia played in Victoria. The MCC has visited several times and we look forward to hosting them again. Numerous other touring clubs have stopped over, but the one event we especially like to showcase is the bi-annual Vancouver Island Six-A-Side (VISAS) Tournament, next scheduled for July 30 to August 8, 2010.

We currently run two leagues, Weekend and Midweek, with 45-over and 16-over formats respectively, with additional Knockout Competitions for both Leagues. Women's cricket is growing in popularity, while in the schools, we have been concentrating at the elementary level. At several levels, Senior and Junior, we enjoy long-standing competition with our rivals on the BC Mainland.

Please peruse the website for further information on the above items and for a full account of all other VDCA activities.